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'Billy is a little different, always has been'
Saracens boss Mark McCall has explained why Billy Vunipola will be the only one of the club’s England players who will squeeze some Trailfinders Cup game time in between the end of the Autumn Nations Cup and the start of the Six Nations.
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England had Billy Vunipola, Maro Itoje, Owen Farrell, Elliott Daly, Jamie George and Mako Vunipola involved in the campaign that culminated in the December 6 extra-time Autumn Nations Cup final win over France at Twickenham.
However, rather than play for Saracens on either of the coming two Saturdays in the Trailfinders Cup against Ealing or Doncaster, Itoje, Farrell, Daly, George and Mako Vunipola will have had a nine-week break in between games when England open their 2021 Six Nations campaign at home to Scotland on February 6.
Saracens are this weekend missing eight players who were suspended for breaching the Barbarians’ Covid bubble ahead of their cancelled late October game versus England, opening up the temptation for club director of rugby McCall to give his Eddie Jones’ contingent a hit-out to shake off the winter cobwebs. However, only Billy Vunipola will be involved for Saracens at Vallis Way.
“In terms of the English internationals, basically all of them are on an individualised pre-season programme to help prepare them for the Six Nations,” said McCall. “In Billy’s case, we all agreed that he is best served playing some game time as part of that individualised pre-season programme. He gets a lot out of playing, so that is why he is playing.
Saracens confirm new head and defence coaches in wake of Sanderson's exithttps://t.co/Z1umG8rOlD pic.twitter.com/X87NV9PZNu
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 15, 2021
“It’s unlikely,” added McCall when asked if other Test players might be considered for the round two trip to Doncaster next weekend before they head into England camp at St George’s Park on January 25. “Like I said, they are all on pre-season individual programmes to hit the ground running when it comes to the Scotland match and I don’t think there is a great need for most of them to play game time. Billy is a little different, always has been.”
While England, who name their Six Nations squad on January 22, will retain only a 28-player squad for the Guinness Six Nations to reduce movement in and out of their team environment, McCall will be busy with his roster in the hope that a three-pronged approach to life in the Championship will pay handsome dividends across his squad.
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“It’s so important (to be back playing),” he said at the end of a layoff that stretches back to October 4 when Saracens last played in the Premiership before their automatic relegation. That break included the confirmation on Friday that assistant Alex Sanderson had left to become Sale director of rugby, with Joe Shaw becoming Saracens head coach and Adam Powell their new defence coach.
“When we looked back to when everything happened, we looked at our squad in different categories. You had a bunch of players who were just below international level who couldn’t really afford to play in the Championship and needed to play at the highest possible level and we loaned those players out. For the most part, their experiences are going really well and we’re looking forward to welcoming them back in the summer. Max Malins, Ben Earl, Nick Isiekwe, Alex Lozowski and Nick Tompkins.
“Then we had the international players. We had various plans. Some of those plans haven’t materialised because of the (pandemic) situation everyone is in but what was central to their year was a quieter season. To freshen up mentally and physically and that is definitely going to happen.
“And then we had the other group, younger, more inexperienced players. We wanted to put some time into them but we haven’t had games. The next part of the equation is for them to get as much game time and to accelerate their development as well as we can.”
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"Hands down, he is one of the most engaging coaches I have ever worked with"@TheRugbyPod #GallagherPrem https://t.co/LHBo4ukW9H
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 14, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Says much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
1 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
23 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
10 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
78 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
23 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
10 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
23 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
23 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
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